SURVIVORS
Chapters 121. Investigatory
At dinner, everyone was excited to hear the story of Sunil and Dean who met the master of the city.
"Unexpectedly, you met your niece in this world Dean" Michael said.
Dean nodded. Widuri. "Are you going to the market again tomorrow?"
"No. Tomorrow we'll make jugs for wine juice and blueberry jam." Widuri glanced at Nastiti.
"Yes. Tomorrow we make a pitcher of clay first. We bought enough sugar this afternoon. After we sell it to the market." Nastiti confirmed their plan.
Dean nodded. " All right."
"Tomorrow what are your plans?" michael asked Sunil.
"There's no plan yet. Maybe help them both prepare a nice clay and the kiln." Sunil.
"Then we practice again tomorrow, Dean?" asked Michael expectantly.
"Maybe I have something to do tomorrow" replied Dean.
"All right, let's get some rest tonight. Heavy work awaits tomorrow."
Nastiti collects dirty dishes. Widuri helps to clear the table. Marianne tried to stand up to help the two women. He walked slowly and carefully.
"Are you not using Marianne's cane?" Dean's eyes twitched in disbelief.
"Well, I've been learning to walk without a cane since noon." Marianne smiled.
"This is a great advance." Sunil was very happy.
"But be careful." Michael reminded.
"Yes, I'll remember. Thank you for taking care of me all this time." Marianne said sincerely.
Michael shakes. "We're a team. Must take care of each other."
"Alan, we'll be on guard first" Dean said.
"Ready!" Alan answered quickly.
*
As the women busied themselves making breakfast, Dean and Alan were digging into the soil they thought was suitable for pottery. They mix it with water and stir it until it is quite soft. Then the clay that has been processed is stacked in the front yard of the courtyard.
"I think this is enough to make about 10 medium-sized jugs" Dean murmured.
"Haha..."
Alan laughed when he heard it.
"I think it's as much as a brick truck."
"Yes already. Go take a shower. Remember our plan last night" Dean said.
"Okay, I'm going to take a shower. Do not forget the bathroom water. You've spent a lot of water stirring that clay." Said Alan.
Dean floated slowly over the trees, then flew quickly into the sea. Before long he seemed to fill the water storage above the bathroom.
Sunil and Michael had not woken up when the other team members had breakfast. They had just slept after the clear sky in the eastern horizon.
"Where are you going?" ask Widuri.
Dean and Alan were confused as to what to answer. They planned this together last night. Exactly this is Dean's plan and Alan is expected to help.
"I'm going to the city lord's residence for a moment. I have something to ask." Dean answered quickly.
"OKAY. Be careful," said Widuri.
He felt that Dean had been keeping things a secret ever since that Yoshi girl came. But Widuri didn't want to press. Let Dean tell him himself if he wants to.
Dean and Alan nodded. Then both of them floated up and darted fast. Disappeared from Widuri's sight in an instant.
"Alright, the material is ready. Let's play mud," Nastiti laughed cheerfully.
***
Dean and Alan stopped flying after their cottage area was no longer visible. Dean takes a detour to see the location where Bi disappeared.
"Is that Dean?"
After a long time of checking, they finally found something. Both of them descended slowly towards an area that was a little relieved, there were no trees in an area of approximately 100 square meters.
"But I don't see the dome like the city lord said," Dean said hesitantly.
"Well, it's just a vacant lot without any plants." Alan.
"We'd better check out this other part of the forest first. If there's no other oddity, we can go back to check this place out." Dean decides.
"Come,"
Alan preceded flying as his eyes opened wide to see a hint. Dean followed. Both of them continued to lie very far from the location of their cottage.
"See Dean. That's where we live."
Alan pointed at the small glittering spot on the cliff wall. Dean noticed and agreed with Alan.
"You're right. It's been a long way. But we don't even see any clue that looks like a transparent dome." Dean confirmed.
"I don't think it's possible the location has come this far." Said Alan.
"But the more it gets here, the more dense the forest gets and the trees are big." Dean was also confused. Minimal clues, so it was difficult to find the location.
"Let's continue the examination first" Dean asked.
Both are back to checking. Far and further away from the cottage.
"There's nothing. Let's just go back and check the empty area first." Dean made a decision.
"alright. Let's go back." Alan was following behind Dean.
"Do you want to go downstairs to check?" alan asked after the two were right above the vacant lot.
Dean did not answer. He flew towards a tree. Then he broke a little tree branch.
Dean stood on the edge of an empty area. Alan stood by her side. Throw the tree branch in the direction of empty land.
"Cat. zzztttt..
There was a sound of friction and flashes when the twig hit something. Finally there was a light that formed a transparent dome on the empty land.
"Wahh, it turns out here. The dome is well camouflaged. If it wasn't for the twigs, we'd probably be stuck in and not be able to get out." Said Alan.
Dean looked inside the dome. His eyes are looking for something. He didn't find anything. The place looks completely empty from the outside.
Dean's eyes look sad. Anyway, that incident has long since passed. He, O and Z are dead. How can Bi survive if he fights monsters with half his strength.
"Dean, could this also be another world? Should we go in there?" alan asked unsure.
"Although it is another world, it is better not to bring in those who have no more power. It's dangerous." Dean disagreed.
"You're right. Even the Duke back then was badly injured right?" Alan refuted his own ideas.
"About that, I doubt it a little." Dean thought seriously.
"If this is another world where the incoming can't get out, then how can the Duke be outside?" Dean thought hard.
"Could he have saved Bi and thrown her out?"
"Hemm, maybe. But the city chief and 3 other people didn't see anything out of there." Dean pointed to the dome that had regained its calm and was almost nowhere to be seen anymore.
"You're very thorough" praised Alan.
"There's nothing we can do here. I'll circle this place before I go back."
Dean immediately flew away before Alan could react. Alan caught up with him and circled around the edge of the dome and took a close look at the situation inside.
"Dean, did you see that?"
Alan pointed at something moving down there. Dean watched closely.
"It looks like a human, doesn't it?" ask Dean.
"Could it have been the creature that peeked at our cottage back then?" Alan speculated.
Dean and Alan flew low and slowly. They wanted to ascertain what the creature was, without surprising it.
"Like a Dean guy. But why isn't he wearing clothes?" Alan watched with a feeling of wonder.
"Geez!"
Dean and Alan were very surprised to see the creature break through the transparent dome boundary without causing any reaction at all.
"How did he get in there? Is there a door?" Dean was curious.
"Dean, maybe he's the killer monster. If this is his residence, then it's no wonder he can go in and out." Alan prevented Dean who seemed desperate to come in.
The two went down lower and observed the place where the creature had pierced through the wall.
"Nothing looks here." Dean kept checking.
"He is also invisible inside. Maybe this wall isn't Dean's transparent." Alan frowned.
"I think so too. What we see from the outside is not a reflection of the situation inside. This wall was a perfect trap for humans as well as animals. Any creature that comes in, can't come out again. If it's a game animal, it'll be the owner's food source."
"Ckckckk.. The owner is an intelligent creature." Alan nodded his head.
"Enough for today. We go back and talk about this with the others." Dean stopped checking.
The two floated up then flew back to the cottage.
*****